The invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of roller-blinds, jalousies, safety nets, separation nets and the like, especially as applied to motor vehicles.
The manufacture of the finished article is usually carried out in such a manner, that the necessary fabric blanks required for the roller-blinds or jalousies are cut out of a master sheet and are then custom fabricated. It is necessary that the roller-blinds are furnished with a firm edging, but not so firm as to interfere with the winding operation. On this account, conventional roller-blinds were usually simply cut from a master material band, which was already trimmed to the desired width of the roller-blind. A difficulty in this is that for the various widths of windows, a plurality of different master sheets must be made. Furthermore, this means that because the full width of the fabric manufacturing machine is not fully utilized, the fabric edge, which is made by the production of the master sheet, is indeed firm, yet generally not suitable for the edge of a roller-blind. This is because the edge is damaged by needle puncture or clamping during production, impaired by subsequent additions or coatings, or may even be deformed out of line.
In the case of roller-blinds for motor vehicle windows, an additional problem arises in that non-rectangularly shaped windows must be fitted. A mass produced edge does not permit itself to be applied to windows for vehicles. These roller-blinds were, therefore, in the course of manufacture, adapted to the required edges by sewing on the necessary periphery or binding around it. This process is a very expensive step in manufacture.
Beyond this, the reinforced borders form bulges on the edges when rolled up, so that for the more thickened winding diameter, more space is required. A further danger is that the master sheet does not wind up uniformly and is distorted.
The effort has been made, to xe2x80x9cweldxe2x80x9d these edges, which required the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC should no longer be used, because of the dangerous vapor developed therefrom upon burning (producing, among other things, dioxin). Another attempt has been made to substitute in this connection the better suited polyurethane, however, problems arose in weldability.
A further problem arose in the application of internal rods which were used for the stiffening of the beginning edge of the roller-blind and which serve also for activation or as a support for horizontal evenness. So called xe2x80x9cpocketsxe2x80x9d were sewn into the master sheet, in which the rods could be inserted. This addition to the manufacture of the roller-blinds is extremely expensive. Further efforts included, in the case of layered master sheets, making such pockets by adhesives or again welding. Even this solution to the problem is very labor intensive, not to mention, that it is scarcely appropriate in its appearance.
It is a principal object of the present invention to produce roller-blinds for the multiplicity of window and section shapes of vehicles in the proper form, so that a separate custom cutting becomes superfluous. A further object in accordance with the invention is that the roller-blinds are already, at their time of manufacture, so complete that a special fabrication for this purpose is superfluous. In regard to the term xe2x80x9croller-blindsxe2x80x9d, it is to be understood all rollable or gathered sheet material, which finds use as netting, closure of textile surfacing, as well as one or two sided lamination application. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
The purposes will be achieved, in accord with the invention, through the features of a process for the production of roller blinds, jalousies, safety, or separation etc. The individual material is produced in a continuous band of uniform width. The running course of the band can be manipulated in a customary manner for production and further, in the case of additional processes such as coating, operates without problems. Otherwise, the material pieces correspond to the desired roller-blind shape with a corresponding rigid material edge, the latter being made during the manufacture of the material band.
By means of provided partitioning strips or separating rows, the individual material pieces can be removed from the running machine in a simple manner. The edge zone of the material pieces can be worked into a firm border by binding, as well as being reinforced, to enable the rods/struts to be inserted.
For the insertion of the rods or guides into the roller-blind surface, extending over the width and/or the length of the material piece, tubular-like pockets can be provided, which are worked in at the time of the production of the material band. Eyelets for the fastening of the holding means likewise can be worked into the edge of the material band during its manufacture.
The advantages of this method of production are immediately evident, in that complex custom making is dispensed with. Also, there arises no, or at least unimportant, thickening in the border region, whereby the roller-blind winds up without difficulty and with essentially lesser space requirements than is normally required for conventional roller-blinds. There is also shown, appearance-wise, a cleaner cut-off at the edges. Color differences are done away with, which otherwise appear necessarily on the edges by the inclusion of different materials for the fabrication of the roller-blind or the network.
Through the prolonging of the firm or reinforced side edges, fastening bands are already at hand and need not be sewed on. In particular, in the case of netting, no distortion of the net structure occurs with the netting during the fabrication of the final element. The corners can be shaped with an optional radius, without cutting losses such as are caused by trimming the edges when custom made. The individual parts are produced with substantially closer tolerances in the dimensioning.
Further details of the invention can be made evident with the help of the drawings.